Warning: Reading this column might trigger serious envy in those with shellfish allergies. Have an EpiPen handy. Chow, Baby is like the William S. Burroughs of mollusks. I’m an insatiable junkie with a penchant for depravity ...

There are probably two reasons you don’t want to eat at Velvet Taco: You’re still sore about its replacing The Gold Standard. And Velvet Taco comes from Dallas. Honestly, both are kind of silly, but if harboring those grudg...

Chow, Baby is into trying new things, both at restaurants and in this column space. With that in mind, I present the first ever “choose your own adventure” column. Just follow the directions and move me like a chess piece i...

Walter Kaufmann keeps giving back to the city where he’s already a legend.
ERIC GRIFFEY with photos by Vishal Malhotra

The man pulled an old brown book out of a denim satchel with care, cradling it like a newborn. As he slowly turned the pages of the smoke-stained album –– loose sheets, press clippings, old photographs –– it seemed as t...

In a campground setting, this spacious eatery serves up some mighty ’cue and more.
EDWARD BROWN

While some barbecue joints use décor to create a downhome feel, The BBQ Ranch does it with location. Sitting on five quiet acres just outside Loop 820 in northwest Fort Worth, the Ranch has a campground feel, with loose gravel...

Another year of stuffing my face has passed, and I’m psyched about what 2014 has in store for my picky palate. (I’m less enthusiastic about having to remember it’s a new year every time I have to write down the date.) T...

Now with a wall of taps and better food, this West 7th bar/restaurant can compete.
LAURIE JAMES

The Pour House has come a long way. Back when it first opened, in 1995 in Sundance Square, it was a meat-market sports bar that, in addition to cover bands and multiple TVs, also had some pretty decent pub grub. In 2009 owner E...

Small and modest, this new restaurant does Mexican creatively.
EDWARD BROWN

Inventive, affordable Mexican food is no longer a rarity in the 817, thanks to places like Paco and John’s, Mariposa’s Latin Kitchen, and a couple other restaurants whose chefs see more in the cuisine than fluffy rice and r...

All ice and no leaving the apartment makes Chow, Baby a dull food critic. All ice and no leaving the apartment … I went a little crazy last week. The icepocalypse was tough on me, not because I got cabin fever, but because my...

Looking for the real deal? Point your GPS to Haltom City.
LAURIE JAMES

As with many ethnic cuisines, most local Chinese restaurants offer fare that’s been tamed for Western taste buds and preferences. Not First Chinese BBQ in Haltom City. This stuff is the real deal. You won’t find egg rolls o...